The frequency of minor physical abnormalities in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders compared to other psychiatric disorders; a multi-center study

Introduction: Minor physical anomalies are slight anatomical variations or deviations from typical physical characteristics that do not have a major cosmetic or functional impact on the individual. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the frequency of minor physical abnormalities (MPAs) in patients with OCD compared to individuals with other psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, and healthy controls. Patients and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted from May 2007 to June 2008 and included 64 patients with OCD, 66 patients with schizophrenia, and 64 healthy controls. Demographic data was collected using a checklist. Psychiatrists diagnosed OCD and schizophrenia patients, while healthy individuals were screened using the general health questionnaire-28. The Waldrop questionnaire was conducted to assess MPAs in all participants. Results: The results demonstrated that schizophrenia patients exhibited the highest prevalence of minor physical anomalies compared to OCD patients and healthy controls. The difference in MPAs frequency distribution was statistically significant between schizophrenia patients with both OCD patients and healthy individuals. However, the difference in MPAs frequency between OCD patients and healthy controls was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The significantly higher prevalence of MPAs in schizophrenia patients compared to OCD patients and healthy individuals indicates that the presence of these disorders could serve as a useful biomarker for schizophrenia.